A review on finite element method for machining of composite materials

Composite materials are being extensively used in aerospace and automotive industry. The demand for composite materials is increasing due to their superior properties such as high strength to weight ratio, good corrosion resistance and high stiffness. Post machining operations such as drilling, orthogonal cutting, turning are necessary for composite materials to meet the dimensional and functional requirements. Drilling is a major process in manufacturing of holes, required for assembling the components in industrial applications. Drilling of holes in composites leads to a drilling-induced damage called delamination. The researchers have tried to reduce the drilling-induced damage by minimizing the operating variables and tool design. However, the research on delamination analysis using finite element method (FEM) is limited. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review on machining of composites which mainly focuses on conventional methods like turning, milling, trimming and drilling and also on simulation methods including discrete element method and finite element method. A brief and in depth review for drilling of composites using finite element method is delivered, which provides a knowledge on damage of the composites caused during drilling and orthogonal cutting. Comparison of experimental and simulation results shows an overall vision on machining of CFRP using FEM tools.